The 2010 tax cut package included a provision that would temporarily allow businesses to immediately write off the costs of equipment for the next two years. In addition, the package included a number of tax extenders that provide various targeted benefits.

The tax cut package included a lower estate and gift taxes for the next two years, providing a higher exemption threshold and a lower rate for estate and gift transfers beyond that threshold. The exemption was raised to $5 million and the rate set at 35 percent, compared to a $1 million exemption and 55 percent rate as previously scheduled under current law for 2011 and lower than the Administration's initial proposal of a $3.5 million exemption and a 45 percent tax rate beyond that.

The tax cut package included a one-year payroll tax cut of two percentage points on the employee side of the FICA tax, reducing the tax for employees from 6.2 percent to 4.2 percent.

The Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act included a two-year "patch" of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).

The 2010 tax cut included a two-year extension of all the provisions from the 2001/2003 tax cuts.

With the initial expiration of ther 2001/2003 tax cuts set for December 31, 2010, lawmakers acted to prevent the tax cuts from expiring. The 2001/2003 tax cuts were extended for all taxpayers for two years, beyond the President's initial proposal of extending them only for those earning under $200,000 ($250,000 for couples).

The Department of Defense appropriations bill contained a provision to extend the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, while also providing more funding to help cover state administration costs fo the program and to speed up the processing of applications.

Extended food stamp program funding was originally passed as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The Worker, Homeownership, and Business Assistance Act of 2009 passed in November 2009 included several extenders on provisions under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

In the Department of Defense appropriations bill, an additional $13.6 billion in funding for unemployment insurance and benefits was included. The amendment included increased benefits and increased the number of weeks unemployed workers can be eligible for benefits by 20 weeks, from 79 to 99 weeks in the highest unemployment states. Unemployed workers are now eligible to receive 99 weeks of benefits beginning now through February 28, 2010.

As part of the Department of Defense appropriation bill passed in late December 2009, $6 billion was provided for COBRA health insurance subsidies. Under the bill, COBRA subsidies of 65% were expanded from nine to 15 months for recently unemployed workers, bringing the new eligibility threshold date to February 28, 2010. 

Extended COBRA subsidies were originally passed as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.